And Then Came Max!

I recently joined in an Instagram challenge called ICAD, that is, an index card a day.

It involves making a daily index card sized piece of artwork. It's fun, but the problem is that it is DAILY!!

Some days I struggle with ideas, other days I do a slapdash job, but it is a good incentive to keep creating and, once in a while, a gem is produced. I have a stack of little pictures in a box, and that feels good, but I think I'll continue only until the end of June instead of the end of July, which is how long the challenge goes. And while I'm talking about artwork, I really appreciated the comments on my last post. Thank you Michelle, Sharon, Anne and Helen. Your encouragement meant a lot to me.

The other thing I wanted to write about is our new family member, Max the cat!

This little guy is pretty amazing. He was brought into foster care in our local PAWS organization after being hit by a car. He had no chip and his owner couldn't be found. His injuries were so bad that he was nearly put down, but a kind vet took an interest in him and performed two surgeries on him - one on his back and the other on his hip. I have a friend who was his foster parent at the time and she sent me photos of him and how well he was recovering. She told me that he had a very sweet personality and she thought Bill and I would be a good fit for him. When he had recovered sufficiently, we were ready to adopt!

Max (originally named McGregor) settled in almost immediately. He did spend the first two nights under a bed, but since then he has made himself at home, stretching out everywhere, especially in our front window where he can see all the neighborhood goings on. (As I write this I can hear him snoring in the front window!) He is affectionate, loves to play, and keeps us entertained every day.

And so, as we begin the lazy days of summer, we're happy with our new companion and looking forward to our 45th wedding anniversary in August. I'm also starting to plan some fabric pictures for an exhibit in October, put on by our local Arts Collaborative. It will be called "Creatures and Critters" - guess what kind of critters I'll be making?

Hope everyone who reads this has a wonderful summer. 

 Hopefully I'll post again before it ends!❤️

Striving for Simplicity

Over the years, I've made a lot of "arty" pieces - landscapes and some portraits in fabric. Being a member of an arts collaborative and participating in art shows, I felt that I needed to step up my game and produce more of this type of work. Also, on Instagram, I've put myself in a category of "artist", even though I would really prefer to make small things that are cute and whimsical. This has left me a bit confused and, lately, very blocked in terms of what to create next. I imagine doing some more naive art, simple applique pictures of houses and people and flowers and trees, with no concern about realism. I would like to try some fabric jewelry and little pictures on easels and maybe even some simple little dolls. I have time, more than enough materials and a pretty good imagination, so what's the problem? Time to take a baby step and try a little thing. Maybe a bird, possibly a bunny. Time to get moving!

Beginning Anew

I haven't posted here during the 2+ years of the Covid pandemic. This was not intentional but, in retrospect, it was a time when everyone retreated into his or her own world and I guess I did the same. So much uncertainty, fear and anxiety - not the most fertile ground for creativity. Personal losses abounded, including, for me, the loss of my older sister who died alone in a nursing home, from Covid and other health problems. I could not be with her and, even though talking with her on Facetime was allowed, her dementia had progressed to the point where she couldn't really understand what was going on. It was heartbreaking. We also lost our sweet cat Perry who died of oral cancer at the age of 18. Of course, others had much worse losses and I'm grateful that my husband, my daughter, her partner, and I are in good health as the pandemic has quieted down, at least for now. And now our world is rocked by a senseless war begun by a dictator who is driving people from their country and killing many for no reason other than his maniacal desire for power. We watch, helplessly, as Ukranians - good, hard working people - flee their homes in the face of possible extinction, while bombs explode in their neighborhoods, hospitals and schools. Our news reports are filled with graphic images, leaving us sickened by Putin's disregard for human life. We donate to agencies who provide help to the victims, but it doesn't feel like enough. I've been posting on Instagram during the pandemic - little stitcheries and drawings - but right now I'm feeling the need to get back to blogging. I feel like I want to write more than a brief comment on a bit of artwork. I'd like to try some new things and add a bit more heart to my work. Unfortunately, I'm finding Blogger a bit more difficult to navigate than it was two years ago, but I'll do my best. Hopefully, my next post will include some photos!